Where Will the Republicans Go?

Photo by "Missoulian"


Feeling defeated or flying low like a Snipe?


The U.S. Senate race in Montana between Incumbent Senator, Conrad Burns (R) and Challenger, Jon Tester (D), seems to be the thermometer for the future control of the House.
The much talked-about campaign has shown the American People some pretty interesting tactics in the nationwide battle for the House. There has been everything from videotaping the opponent's campaign trail to downright name-calling in nearly every debate venue.

Sen. Burns has been in the news a lot during this campaign and none of it is positive. His major stigma is his political connection to convicted felon, Jack Abramoff, who pled guilty to defrauding Native American gaming casinos. Sen. Burns also has a horrible habit of speaking his mind. When a Hotshot crew, from Virginia, had finished digging firelines on a fire outside of Billings they headed for the airport and were awaiting transport to another fire. While waiting for their flight, Sen. Burns entered the terminal that they were congregated in and approched them stating that they had done a "piss-poor job". Burns was actually walking around the terminal, asking "Are you from Boise? Are you from Boise?", looking for those firefighters, obviously not knowing that the firefighters that he was about to vent on were from Virginia. That same fire had burned 26 homes at that time and it was noted that Sen. Burns was upset over preparation and coordination of firefighting efforts and the Boise command center. Sen. Burns had this to say; “This command/control doesn't work.” “Managing these fires from Boise does not work.” “Ranchers complaining firefighters/engines driving right by while their land is burning.”



Photo by "Montana Democrats"

Then, of coarse, there is the videotaping by the senatorial challenger, Jon Tester.

Mr. Tester is the President of the Montana Senate and hails from the little town of Big Sandy.
Mr. Tester has been using a young Democratic Party staffer, Kevin O'Brien, to follow Sen. Burns around on his campaign trail with a camcorder. Mr. O'Brien struck paydirt when he caught the Senator sleeping at a Montana farm bill hearing. The video shot that day circled the globe on internet websites such as YouTube.

Mr. Tester's campaign slogan is "Isn't it time the U.S. Senate looked a little bit more like Montana?" Tester wants to expose the underbelly of the current Montana U.S. Senator and also wants to clean up the mess left by Burns. Tester's poll numbers have showed him ahead of Burns throughout this campaign, thanks, in large part, to the debates that were held across the state.

Those debates were held in large venues such as Butte and Helena, but they were also held in smaller venues such as Hamilton. Reaching out to the rural roots of Montana has made this campaign, truly, a real grassroots movement. The state realizes that it needs change and everyone has had a voice in this campaign.

The veteran Senator versus the challenger for change. Sen. Burns has done a lot for Montana, especially for Native Americans in Montana, and Tester has proven himself capable of handling the issues and his poll numbers have shown that he is very capable. However, Tester's poll numbers have been declining lately. The premise of the decline is his stance on taxation. Burns will not raise or add taxes, yet Tester would like to introduce new taxes. Now the campaign seems to have come down to one question, "Does Montana need more taxes?"

After all of the controversy and "napping in Congress", Sen. Burns is still a heavy contender in this campaign. Montanans may want the state to remain on the course that it is already on. Low taxes and being represented by Conrad Burns. They may not be ready for Tester's Montanasque U.S. Senate. The Nation is following this campaign closely, as the Democrats close in on control of the House, but Montana is still first and foremost on the candidates minds.

Good luck to all of my fellow Montanans, come November 7th.

Written by JetMech, U.S. Navy and Proud Montanan.